One possessed the legendary Rinnegan.
The other wielded a mental power that even he could not comprehend.
"Keep going."
Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth and murmured to himself.
"Let me see which of you can force the other to reveal his true trump card first."
Pain ignored everyone else's reactions.
His gaze remained fixed on Lie Yang, ripples spreading through his Rinnegan one after another.
His ocular power continued to intensify.
The dim space trembled faintly in response.
Even Kakuzu, standing on another spectral finger, felt a trace of pressure.
He opened all five pairs of eyes, his gaze shifting between Lie Yang and Pain.
Kakuzu had lived far too long and seen many so-called powerhouses.
But the confrontation before him was already beyond anything an ordinary Kage Level fighter could take part in.
No ninjutsu erupted.
No blades flashed.
Neither side had even taken a step.
Yet that invisible clash of minds was more dangerous than any battle to the death.
"Pain's ocular power is being blocked."
Kakuzu spoke quietly.
Hidan turned toward him.
"You can tell?"
"The chakra fluctuations in this space have stopped advancing."
Kakuzu stared at Lie Yang.
"It's like they've hit an invisible wall."
Biwa Jūzō's Adam's apple bobbed.
"Is the Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan really that strong?"
"That isn't an ordinary Mangekyō Sharingan."
Orochimaru chuckled.
"At the very least, he hasn't activated his Mangekyō Sharingan yet."
At those words, everyone's expressions changed again.
Lie Yang had not displayed an ocular technique from beginning to end.
In other words, he had blocked the Rinnegan's pressure through the strength of his own mind alone.
Pain's expression remained unchanged.
But only Konan could detect that his chakra consumption was accelerating.
"Nagato."
Konan softly warned him.
Pain did not respond.
Of course he knew what further increasing